Yorta Yorta(Yotayota) is adialect cluster,or perhaps a group of closely related languages, spoken by theYorta Yorta people,Indigenous Australiansfrom the junction of theGoulburnandMurray Riversin present-day northeastVictoria.Dixonconsiders it anisolate.
| Yorta Yorta | |
|---|---|
| Yotayota Murray–Goulburn | |
| Region | Victoria,Australia |
| Ethnicity | Yorta Yorta(Pangerang,Kwatkwat) |
| Extinct | by 1960[1] |
| Revival | 151 self-identified speakers (2021 census)[2] |
Pama–Nyungan
| |
| Dialects |
|
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | xyy |
| Glottolog | yort1237 |
| AIATSIS[3] | D2 |
| ELP | Yorta Yorta |
Yorta Yorta clans include theBangerang,Kailtheban, Wollithiga, Moira, Penrith, Ulupna,Kwat Kwatand Nguaria-iiliam-wurrung.[4]The name is also spelledJotijota, Jodajoda, Joti-jota, Yodayod, Yoda-Yoda, Yoorta, Yota, Yoti Yoti, Yotta-Yotta, Youta;other names areArramouro, Boonegatha, Echuca, Gunbowerooranditchgoole, Gunbowers, Kwart Kwart, Unungun, Wol-lithiga ~ Woollathura.
The Yaliba Yaliba language of the Pikkolaatpan tribe is about 70% similar to the dialect of the Bangerang, suggesting they may be closely related languages rather than dialects.
Although the language is considered dormant due to contact with Europeans and forcible dislocation to missions, theYorta Yortahave maintained many words. There have been strong moves of late to revive the language.
Two Yorta Yorta women, Lois Peeler and Sharon Atkinson, together with Dr Heather Bowe fromMonash University,worked for several years to compile a comprehensive record of research material, entitledYorta Yorta Language Heritage.This work provided a summary of existing written records, with reference to the spoken resources, and included introductory lessons in Yorta Yorta, together with English to Yorta Yorta and Yorta Yorta to English dictionaries.
Phonology
editConsonants
edit| Labial | Dental | Alveolar | Palatal | Retroflex | Velar | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stop | b | d̪ | d | ɟ | (ɖ) | ɡ |
| Nasal | m | n̪ | n | ɲ | (ɳ) | ŋ |
| Lateral | l | (ʎ) | (ɭ) | |||
| Rhotic | ɾ~r | (ɽ) | ||||
| Approximant | w | j |
A palatal lateral or the following retroflex consonants could have potentially been recorded. An alveolar rhotic sound could have been a trill or a flap.[1]
Vowels
edit| Front | Central | Back | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Close | i | u | |
| Mid | e | o | |
| Open | a |
[e]is the rarest vowel. There are vowel-initial words Yorta-Yorta, due to the deletion of[j]or sometimes[ŋ]before[a],but not in Yabula-Yabula.
Music
edit
The track "Ngarra Burra Ferra"sung by indigenous artistJessica Mauboyfrom the 2012 hit filmThe Sapphiresis a song based on the traditionalAboriginalhymn "Bura Fera."[5]The song is in the Yorta Yorta language and speaks of the LordGod's help in decimating aPharaoh's armies. The chorus,Ngara burra ferra yumini yala yala,translates into English as "The Lord God drowned all Pharaoh's armies, hallelujah!" These lyrics are based on an ancient song inJewishtradition known as the "Song of the Sea" or "Miriam's Song", as it was composed and sung byMiriam,older sister of the prophetMoses.It can be found inExodus 15,especially verse 4, "Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea." Aboriginal communities of Victoria and southernNew South Walesmay be the only people in the world who still sing the piece (in Yorta Yorta).[5]
References
edit- ^abBowe, Morey, Heather, Stephen (1999).The Yorta Yorta (Bangerang) language of the Murray Goulburn: including Yabula Yabula.Pacific Linguistics. pp. 41–43.
{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^Australian Bureau of Statistics (2021)."Cultural diversity: Census".Retrieved13 October2022.
- ^D2Yorta Yorta at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database,Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
- ^Yorta Yorta Co-operative Management AgreementArchivedSeptember 13, 2006, at theWayback Machine
- ^ab"The lyrics to Bura Fera".towalkwithyou. 13 September 2013.Retrieved26 April2014.